Tuesday, June 12, 2012

I'm going out on a limb with this post, talking about a subject that doesn't jive with my normal frivolous ramblings about vintage sales and new/old furniture......chalk it up to my age, life experiences....peri-menopause, hell, I don't know.....but it's something that's on my mind and because I believe 99.9% of you are women, I thought I would throw it out there!

Oh, and it's definitely something I have been guilty of it.....something I am not proud to admit. So don't go thinking I am all up on my high horse!

What am I talking about, you ask?

Hold that thought.

First, I should share what got me thinking about this. It was at Farm Chicks, on Friday night. I looked at the group of women that I had assembled for a meet up at Chaps - we were a Diverse crew - ranging in age from 20-somethings to 50-somethings. We were midwesterners, west coasters, south westerners, country gals and city slickers. There were the disciplined skinny girls in our midst and those of us who enjoy a meal {with a cocktail} and are counting on our next workout to lose those 20 extra pounds. We were blonds, brunettes and pretty silvery-grays. Who knows what our political views are - probably just as diverse, thank God we didn't go there that night! The ONE thing we had in common was that we were all there for the Farm Chicks show. Creative women. Women who have pure, loving and supportive hearts....for other women.....all collected at Chaps......a restaurant owned and run by one of the most special women I believe I have ever met. Being in the presence of these awesome women - all so different was a moment of clarity and joy for me - Cause there was a time in my life where I too often 'judged a book by it's cover'.

I made assumptions about other women based on rather superficial things - how they looked, how old they were, where they lived, what they drove, where they shopped, what they did for a living, what brands they were wearing/or not wearing, their general lifestyle, political beliefs......yuck! I spent way too much time trying to "fit in" or working hard to maintain a friendship that was truly one sided with far too many. Thankfully, age brings maturity and a comfort with who you are.

I am grateful that one of the benefits {in the midst of many negatives} of getting older is to appreciate and celebrate differences - I now truly seek out inspiring women, whether they are just like me, or not.

And what I have discovered while contemplating this post is that I collect friends like I collect decorative objects for my home. Some of my friends are vintage, some are contemporary, I embrace imperfections, some friends are practical and reliable, some are unexpected with a touch of whimsy, some are colorful, some are safe, many are beautiful both inside and out. And most importantly, like home accessories, more friends are NOT necessarily better. My older self prefers quality over quantity. I aware and thankful for how my 'collection' blesses my life.......I believe it is one of the benefits of moving around alot and having to create relationships - often!

Am I perfect? No! Do I still find myself wondering why I didn't 'click' with someone I meet? Yes!

But as a mother raising a tween and teen, I optimistically hope that by watching me and how I relate to my women friends, that I will show my girls that you can't "judge a book by it's cover".